Jealousy
by College Fool
Summary: Friendship, love, and camaraderie aren't the only invisible ties that bind us. Cordelia, Robin, Severa, Morgan, and even Chrom are bound by the green-eyed monster as well. A series of character shorts of an uncommon angle, now complete.
1. Cordelia

Jealousy

Friendship isn't the only invisible tie that binds them together. Robin, Cordellia, Severia, Morgan, and even Chrom are connected by less noble ties as well.

I do not own Fire Emblem.

* * *

It wouldn't be surprising to learn if Robin had a hidden sliver of jealousy for Chrom's lingering hold on Cordellia's affections. It would be surprising to learn of Cordelia's jealousy over over Robin's attentions.

Cordelia may softly sigh when Chrom passes by, but she is a faithful spouse. She never has, and never will, betray the husband she has come to love, and when Robin is near her focus never wavers.

Robin, however, is nowhere near so faithful.

When Chrom calls his tactician comes running, and in that response there is an undivided focus that she is painfully aware she is not a part of, is never part of. When Robin is not at her side he is at Chrom's, but some days it feels as if he is only at her side when he is not at Chrom's.

It's not that it's improper, or unfaithful. It is his role, after all: Robin is Chrom's right hand, and right hands must be close to the body. Just as she takes to the skies, his position is by Chrom's side, thinking and advising and looking out for the well being of the young lord. It is duty, and if there is one thing Cordellia can understanding coming before love and family, it is duty.

Duty may be proper. Duty may be necessary. Duty is quite frequently admirable. But a little part of her wishes Robin was a little more regretful or loath to leave her, that he didn't enjoy this duty quite so much.

Because he does enjoy it, he does enjoy the time he spends with Chrom, and Chrom reciprocates. The friendship between the two, from start to finish, is exceptional. They would die for each other, but they would also live for each other. The feed off each other, thrive in each other's presence, and in all honesty Cordelia loves that of Robin. It was the first glimpse she had into the character of her husband. If Robin had been born a woman, Cordelia knows who Chrom's bride would have been.

But Robin was not born a woman: Robin was born a man, and he is her husband. It might be unreasonable to want to be the only priority in his life, but it shouldn't be unreasonable to want to be the most important. To be held and cherished and kept above all else, to have the one you love put off all else as if time did not exist, just to stay with you longer.

But when duty calls, when Chrom calls, he answers. So would she, she knows. But Robin responds with a smile, and Chrom is pleased with his presence, enough so that she knows that Chrom sometimes calls when Robin is not truly necessary, just to have him around. To have Robin by his side, rather than hers.

Watching from a distance, as her husband looks so at ease with his closest friend, his attention undivided and with not a thought of her as his mind calculates…

…it is the first time she feels a sentiment of resentment against her otherwise-beloved liege lord.

* * *

_Author Note: First of five jealousy-themed character pieces, centered around the members of a Main Character-Cordellia family._

_Intend to release one character a day, bar surprises IRL.  
_


	2. Robin

Jealousy

Friendship isn't the only invisible tie that binds them together. Robin, Cordellia, Severia, Morgan, and even Chrom are connected by less noble ties as well.

I do not own Fire Emblem.

* * *

Robin has jealousies of his own: not envy of Chrom, but a certain insecurity stoked by his wife.

He knows Cordellia loved Chrom, and still does in her own way. He accepted that part of her, and loves it as the rest of her. He knows what it is to stand in Chrom's presence and feel the easy and unconditional virtue that flows from the man. He loves the man himself: he was an amnesiac with no past, no family, no value, and Chrom took him in anways. He proved himself talented and of value, and so can find peace with himself helping Chrom, but Chrom never needed that. Robin could have been as talentless and unexceptional as Donnel thought himself to be, and it would have been good enough for Chrom. He would always have been good enough for Chrom.

But for Cordellia? The women respected by all for her nearly flawless capabilities, the woman who awed and inadvertently stole his heart when she designed, forged, and wielded a weapon of her own creation in a span of days? A woman who could have, should have, had anyone else she wanted, even a Prince? Robin is still an amnesiac with no past, no history, no memories of family to fall back on, and despite having precious little to offer, she said yes. It was the happiest day in his new life.

In the darkest parts of his mind, though, the parts that threaten to fill him with fear and self doubt to give up and give in, a new doubt raised. Gone were worries of being a good enough tactician for Chrom. Now there was something worse: did she, deep down, simply settle once her heart's desire was taken? Does she simply tolerate his relative bumbling attempts to keep pace with her, and humor him?

He tries and he tries, but he can never know for sure if he's as good a husband as she is a wife. He knows he's intelligent, productive, and perhaps even a bit too busy. People tell him he's capable enough, that he shouldn't worry. But Cordellia is more than 'capable enough,' deserves more than 'adequate': she deserves someone as exceptional as she is in eveything, and past his tactic's he's... not. Cordellia says she appreciates whatever he does regardless, but somehow the unconditional acceptance so comforting from Chrom is so nerve wracking from the one he loves. Any gesture he makes she could do better, she must see flaws he can't in his attempts, but she never brings them forward and tells him it's perfect.

His wife is amazing in so many fields, and that includes the field of little white lies. So he's left wondering, doubting, and worried, because she almost perfectly capable and deserves so much, and he's only too aware of his own flaws.

Robin's self-doubt and anxiety leaves him wondering if he's good enough for his own wife.

* * *

_Author Note: Second of five jealousy-themed character pieces, centered around the members of a Main Character-Cordellia family. This one was Robin, with a little tilt into the self-doubting inner thoughts._

_Tomorrow starts the children.  
_


	3. Severa

Jealousy

Friendship isn't the only invisible tie that binds them together. Robin, Cordellia, Severia, Morgan, and even Chrom are connected by less noble ties as well.

I do not own Fire Emblem.

* * *

Jealousy isn't just for the married. Severa is jealous of her own sister for being the apple in their father's eyes.

For as long as she can remember, people have acted as if they are two different families. There is Robin and Morgan, and there is Cordellia and Severa. Her parents might as well have been divorced for all that people treated them like a family. Everyone knows Morgan is Robin's child (the eyes, the mind, the love of tactics and strategy), while Severa is just the less impressive daughter of Cordellia (not as good, not as pretty, not as amazing and appreciated and a lifetime of impossible measures).

It doesn't matter that it's her who shares their father's hair. It doesn't matter that she's the older one, the sister who looked after and took care of Morgan when both parents disappeared. It certainly doesn't matter that Morgan inherited Mother's easy confidence, while she's the one who inherited Father's insecurities and niggling inner doubt.

Definitely doesn't matter.

What matters is that Severa doesn't have the head for tactics and strategy, no matter how hard she tries, and Morgan does. Gods, Morgan can come back with amnesia and still run circles around her older sister, that's how bad it is.

And Father knows it. That's why he spends so much more time with Morgan: because Morgan can pay attention without falling asleep, because Morgan can pick up the trick and use it three days later, because Morgan fits into a tactician's robes so much better than her. That's why Robin and Morgan can stay up through the night reading dusty tomes together and not notice the passing of time, while she and even her mother would fall asleep. It was like this even back in the future, when Father would focus on training Morgan and then ask her to look after her little sister.

She doesn't like it, but she doesn't blame her father. It's not his fault she doesn't have much to learn from him. It's not his fault her weapon skills surpass his, leaving him with little to offer but occasional advice and a different teacher. It's not his fault she's bigger, stronger, and more responsible than her sometimes absent-minded little sister.

But Morgan… Morgan relishes the stranglehold she has on Father's time. Relishes, cherishes, monopolizes. Takes it all without reservation, and then asks for more.

It's all Severa can do to not scream 'He's my father too!'

It doesn't matter if he's not as good a swordsman as her. It doesn't matter if she falls asleep to his lectures. It doesn't matter that she takes after their mother more. It doesn't matter, because she's his daughter and he's her father, and while she'll be damned if she says it aloud she loves the time they spend together as well. She loves their matches and his well earned praises (That was spectacular, Severa.), she loves waking up with his well-loved cloak wrapped around her shoulders (He always chided her, but always gave her his cloak), and she loves him (the only thing as hard as finding that Mother wouldn't return, was the day Father didn't as well).

He's her father too, and she'd like to spend time with him as well, to be appreciated just as much as her sister. If only Morgan would remember that.

* * *

_Author Note: Third of five jealousy-themed character pieces, centered around the members of a Main Character-Cordellia family. This one was Severa. From what I've seen, most children are never written in context of their 'other' parent, which is a shame.  
_

_And, hey, interesting math: 913 views, 10 alerts, 4 favorites... and 1 review._


	4. Morgan

Jealousy

Friendship isn't the only invisible tie that binds them together. Robin, Cordellia, Severia, Morgan, and even Chrom are connected by less noble ties as well.

I do not own Fire Emblem.

* * *

Green eyes make every other pasture seem more fair. Morgan isn't one to hold a grudge, but seeing the way Severa treats their parents is enough to spark one.

On one level Morgan knows that's just how her sister is: Severa is caustic because she's scared and scarred and afraid to lose them again, and even if she can't remember the future she can tell Severa was hurt by the loss of the parents. She can imagine, because she actually can imagine how she would react if Father passed away now. It may have been a kindness that she can't remember Father's death.

But at the same time, Morgan wants to do nothing else as much as grab her sister by the shoulders and give her a nice, hard shake while yelling 'Appreciate what you have while you can, you fool!'. Severa may have hard memories of their family, but at least she has memories at all. Morgan doesn't even have that.

Amnesia might make a bonding topic with Father, she supposes, but it's really not worth it. Not when she can't even share those memories with him, when he hasn't made those memories yet. Not when she has to forget Mother, who only becomes more amazing and incredible the more she sees of her.

Not when she had to see the flinch of pain in Severa's eyes when the normally caustic girl reunited with the sister thought lost, only for Morgan to ask who she was and when she had ever had a sister. Her sister may be the source of her ire at times, but she would never willingly cast her aside.

Morgan is desperately reconnecting to a family she never had, or who had never had her, and Severa acts like it's something worth scoffing at and dismissing. She dismisses the one thing Morgan is craving above all else, those memories of family.

Morgan would give almost anything: her looks, her books, even her tactician's mind, to have the memories that Severa takes for granted.

* * *

_Author Note: Fourth of five jealousy-themed character pieces, centered around the members of a Main Character-Cordellia family. Here's to Morgan, who never seems to have a bad bone in her/his body (despite, you know, being fanatically devoted to the Avatar of Grima). A little sibling resentment seems normal, though, even to her.  
_


	5. Chrom

Jealousy

Friendship isn't the only invisible tie that binds them together. Robin, Cordellia, Severia, Morgan, and even Chrom are connected by less noble ties as well.

I do not own Fire Emblem.

* * *

Families don't end at bloodlines. Chrom is a part of their lives even without marriage, and it's only fair that Chrom have his own grievance amongst the family. Chrom once believed that bonds of friendship were unrivaled… until bonds of family began to steal his best friend away from him. It's petty, selfish, and certainly unworthy of a lord, but he can't shake the feeling that there's a growing distance between himself and Robin, and that Cordelia, Severa, and Morgan are to blame.

The part of him inclined to be reasonable knows that this is natural, even healthy. Robin couldn't be the amnesiac with no other ties forever. In those first few weeks, when Robin had nowhere else to go and no other friend but Chrom, their inseparability was natural, understandable. Chrom was a friend, but also the only support Robin had.

But Chrom led Robin to new friends, and new supports. Dependence gave way to affection, and both Robin and Chrom were better for it: Chrom might still need to worry about his country, but no longer about the total well being of his friend should he die. When Robin made friends with Cordellia, Chrom was happy. When Robin fell in love, Chrom was supportive. When Robin asked him to be the best man, Chrom was ecstatic. When Robin asked him to be god-father, he was humbled.

When Robin begged an early evening to spend with his wife, when their once-nightly tradition became less often than not, he was hurt.

While they certainly opened time to spend with his own love, the absence of the familiar friend only to see him fondly in the arms of Cordelia were a different sort of discomfort. It only became more acute when the children began to arrive.

Severa was first, and less intrusive: it helped that the girl seemed closer to her mother than her father. Robin tried to act as a father, tried to learn, and to do so came to Chrom for advice. It was a return to the comfortable traditions, as Chrom shared his (admittedly limited) experience in bonding with Lucina to Robin. Responses were mixed, with Robin always returning to commiserate or share his latest experience, but Chrom was able to feel content and even happy as Robin's relationship with Severa began to improve.

But Morgan, though…

Robin was to Morgan what Chrom had once been to Morgan. Morgan wanted Robin's company, needed it, for the same reason Robin had once so relied on him: because without the pillar of familiarity and support, she would have had nothing. And just as Chrom had once done for him, Robin devoted his time and attention to Morgan, to help her through and try and spark new bonds.

It was good for Morgan. It was good for Robin. But it seemed a death knell for Chrom's presence in Robin's life. Wherever Robin was, so was his family. What had once been a dynamic duo became more, as wives or daughters came into the mix. Robin shared his family with Chrom, but also removed himself.

Gone were the easy evenings or secret outings: now Robin might be at his side for his duties, but it seemed so little else. Now it was family, family, family, and the occasional other friend. Robin seemed not to notice, or care, about the changes in their friendship… and that hurt. It made him happy to see Robin so happy with his wife and two daughters, but it hurt to not see himself as the cause of that happiness.

Robin was still his friend. He always would be. But was he still Robin's friend? Sometimes he wondered… and if ever wasn't, he was sure who was to blame.

* * *

_Author Note: Five of five jealousy-themed character pieces, centered around the members of a Main Character-Cordellia family. Here's to Chrom,canonical best buddy who never seems to care about how much time Robin actually spends with him. Or does he?_

_Grim stuff, in its own way.  
_


	6. Good End

Jealousy

Friendship isn't the only invisible tie that binds them together. Robin, Cordellia, Severia, Morgan, and even Chrom are connected by less noble ties as well.

I do not own Fire Emblem.

* * *

It's not all so bad as that, of course. Jealousy does silly things to people: it makes us forget what we have, it colors our perceptions of what is real, it makes us forget about what we care about, and why we care.

Jealousy, after all, can't exist without love to feed it… and sometimes there's more to love than what we notice. Consider the less biased perspective:

Cordelia may sigh for Chrom, but she smiles for her husband who always returns. She herself is a woman with split affections, but her loving marriage is genuine.

Robin may be Chrom's man by day, but it's for the wife who loves him back that he leaves at night. His best friend and his beloved may be different people, but he can cherish them both.

Severa may feel neglected in her father's attentions, but she is not ignored or forgotten. He may not be able to teach her, as is her way, but his small gestures show his sentiment, and he can only rely on her to look after Morgan because he knows her and trusts her.

Morgan may see Severa's current behavior towards their family and be upset… but she has forgotten the tears wept long ago, the years her sister looked out after her in the darkest of times. Morgan may feel the loss of memories of family, but Severa and the rest are helping build new memories of family.

Chrom may feel he is losing a friend, but in truth his friend is gaining a family… just as Robin had to understand when Lucina came from the future. Their friendship has changed with time, but it is an evolution, not atrophy.

Love, in all its forms, is a tricky and powerful thing. It can lead us or deceive us. The invisible bonds the bind are not just the warm and noble feelings of friendship, camaraderie, and affection, but the other sort as well: anxiety, envy, and jealousy. Not because we don't care or love, but because we do.

Over time, this will show. When the war is over and a tactician not needed, Cordelia will see her husband attend her more often. When adversity is overcome and devotion proven, Robin's insecurities will fade and accept the simple truth. When acceptance allows her to open up and admit her frustrations, Severa's family will compensate and affirm their love for eachother. As Morgan builds new memories, she will ease her own fears and realize that her sister cares just as much as she does. When the war end and Robin keeps Chrom close, rather than leave with his family, Chrom will realize that rather than lose a friend he gained a family.

These problems, these errors in perception and mistaken beliefs, are not permanent fixtures. These are trials people overcome each day, trials fueled and solved the same thing. These are difficulties, caused by love, that can be solved with more love and understanding.

In other words, this story of envy and jealousy and familial anxieties… is actually one with a happy ending.

The other invisible ties that bind them wouldn't let it end any other way.

* * *

_FIN_

* * *

_Author Note: The post-jealousy round-up. I made it expecting that some would find the previous five pieces dark, depressing, and certainly not optimistic.  
In some respects, it reads like a family about to tear itself apart.  
_

_I disagree with that. Jealousy is rarely pretty, but it's certainly normal. Plenty of people deal with jealousy towards loved ones... and plenty of people remain with their loved ones despite it. I wanted to leave off with something similar, and so here it was.  
_


End file.
